Loading coil packaging arrangement

ABSTRACT

A coil tray assembly is provided which not only permits a number of loading coils to be more easily packaged, but further permits coil cases of various standard sizes to be constructed using the coil trays. The coil tray is a molded L-shaped plastic tray with either twelve or thirteen terminated coil assemblies inserted and potted therein with an encapsulating compound. This basic coil tray assembly can be used in the construction of either a 6 inch square, 11 X 6 inch rectangular or a 11 inch square coil case. Provisions for wire-wrapped termination of cable leads to coils instead of using special connectors and lead out wires also are provided. Further still, greater coil density with coil cases is possible, and the spaced and orientated coils within the trays eliminate the need for crosstalk plates and/or production tuning of the coils.

United States Patent Georgopulos Oct. 29, 1974 [54] LOADING .COILPACKAGING ARRANGEMENT Primary Examiner-Thomas J Kozma [75] inventor:Thomas Georgopulos, Chicago, Ill. Attorney Agent or FlrmTDal/ld Held[73] Assignee: GTE Automatic Electric llzlzlzplil'pitlgziemIncorporated, 5 ABSTRACT A coil tray assembly is provided which not onlyper- [22] Wed 1974 mits a number of loading coils to be more easilypack- [21] Appl. No.: 430,271 aged, but further permits coil cases ofvarious standard sizes to be constructed using the coil trays. The coiltray is a molded L-shaped plastic tray with either [52] Cl d $5 47twelve or thirteen terminated coil assemblies inserted [51] Int Cl 15/02and potted therein with an encapsulating compound. [58] Fie'ld 92 Thisbasic coil tray assembly can be used in the con- 178/45 5 2 struction ofeither a 6 inch square, 1 l X 6 inch rectan- CP R gular or a 11 inchsquare coil case. Provisions for wire-wrapped termination of cable leadsto coils in- [56] References Cited stead of using special connectors andlead out wires also are provided. Further still, greater coil densityUNITED STATES PATENTS with coil cases is possible, and the spaced andorien- 2,079,697 5/l937 Rtil'igCS 336/l80 tated coils within the traysgliminate the need for g t l I; crosstalk plates and/or productiontuning of the coils. yCI'S e a I FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 6Claims, 15 Drawing Figures 407,492 12 /1924 Germany 178/46 PM-Emmmmw3.845485 SHEET 2 BF 4 I FIG. 8

l i l I l l l I I ,FIG. 11

FIG. 10

PATENIEDucr 29mm mama FIG-14' FIG-15 LOADING COIL PACKAGING ARRANGEMENTThis invention relates to an improved loading coil packagingarrangement.

Loading coils are used in telephone communication systems for improvingthe electrical characteristics of the voice frequency cables. The numberof loading coils may vary in any particular installationfrom, forexample, 25 to 600 loading coils. These loading coils generally aremounted on or in trays of various different configurations, and thenhermetically sealed in a coil case which is of a standard design andadapted to hold a number of these trays.

In accordance with the present invention, a new basic coil tray assemblyis provided which not only permits a number of loading coils to be moreeasily packaged, but further permits coil cases of various standardsizes to be constructed using the coil trays. The coil tray is a moldedL-shaped plastic tray with either twelve or thirteen terminated coilassemblies inserted and potted therein with an encapsulating compound.This basic coil tray assembly can be used in the construction of eithera 6 inch square, I 1 inches X 6 inches rectangular or a I 1 inch squarecoil case. Provisions for wirewrapped termination of cable leads tocoils instead of using special connectors and lead out wires also areprovided. Further still, greater coil density with coil cases ispossible, and the spaced and orientated coils within the trays eliminatethe need for crosstalk plates and/or production tuning of the coils.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved loading coil packaging arrangement.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a top plan view of the coil tray;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an end plan view of the coil tray of FIG. I;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are side and end plan views of the terminal used with thecoil tray;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are side and end plan views illustrating the manner inwhich the coils are affixed to the terminals;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of a coil tray with the coils loaded therein;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken generally along lines ll1l of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a top view generally illustrating the manner in which thecoil trays are loaded into a coil case;

FIG. 13 is a side view, partly sectionalized, to illustrate the mannerin which the coil trays are loaded in the coil case of FIG. 12; and

FIGS. 14 and 15 are top views generally illustrating the manner in whichthe coil trays are loaded into two other standard coil cases.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGS. l-S, there is illustrated a coiltray 10 which is generally L-shaped in configuration and which has anumber (12 in the illustrated embodiment) of semi-circular shapedcavities 12 therein for receiving loading coils. The coil tray 10preferably and advantageously is molded of a thermoplastic material. Ascan be best seen in FIG. 11, the coil tray 10 also has side walls 14extending about its perimeter, and the height of the side walls and thedepth of the cavities 12 preferably are proportioned so that the loadingcoils 20 do not extend above the side walls. The spacing and theorientation of the loading coils within the cavities 12 in the coil tray10 is such that the need for crosstalk plates and/or production tuningof the loading coils is eliminated. Adjacent to each of the cavities 12there are a number of holes 16 for receiving therethrough the terminalpins 18 on a terminal block 21 described more fully below. It may benoted that an additional generally square-shaped, flat cavity 22 isformed in the coil tray 10, for receiving another loading coil 20 whichlies flat in the cavity, rather than vertically disposed as in the caseof the cavities 12. A hole 24 is provided through the coil tray 10, forsecuring a number of coil trays in stack relationship, on a rod in acoil case, as generally illustrated in FIG. 13. Also, a pair of slots 26and 27 are formed on the ends of the two legs of the coil tray, forreceiving therethrough alignment bars 28, as can be best seen in FIGS.12 and 13.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, a terminal block 21 is shown as having a pin base 29which may be molded of a thermoplastic material, with a number (4 in theillustrated embodiment) of terminal pins 18 integrally molded thereinand extending from the opposite sides thereof.

As can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, the lead wires 31 of the loading coils20 are connected to the terminal pins 18 of the terminal blocks 21.

After pre-assembling the loading coils 20 and the terminal blocks 21, asdescribed above, the loading coils are placed in the cavities I2 and theterminal pins 18 are extended through the holes I6 in the coil tray 10,as can be best seen in FIGS. 10 and 11. Once all of the loading coilsand their associated terminal blocks have been loaded into the coil tray10, the coil tray is tilled with an encapsulating compound, so as tohermetically seal the loading coils in the coil tray and to complete theformation of a coil tray assembly. The encapsulating compound alsoservies to physically hold the loading coils in position in the coiltray 10. In use, the coil tray assembly will be turned upside down as itis inserted into the coil case. Connections to the loading coils 20 maybe made on the bottom of the coil tray 10 since the ends of the terminalpins 18 extend through the coil tray. In FIGS. 10 and II, a load coil 20is illustrated in the cavity 22.

As indicated above, these basic coil trays or coil tray assemblies areused in the construction of standard coil cases which may be, forexample, 6 inches square, I l X 6 inches rectangular or I 1 inchessquare coil cases. In FIGS. 12 and 13, a 6 inch square coil case 41 isillustrated and it includes a rod 42 and two clamping or alignment bars28. A cable 43 to which the loading coils 20 are to be coupled extendsinto the coil case. In assembling the coil case, a coil tray assembly isturned upside down and inserted in the coil case, with the rod 42extending through the hole 24 in the coil tray and with the alignmentbars 28 extending through the slots 26 and 27. Then, the cable pairs forthis first coil tray are wire wrapped to the terminal pins 18 whichproject through the bottom of the coil tray. In a like manner, eachsuccessive ones of coil trays are inserted and the appropriateconnections made. The upper or last one of the coil trays is secured inplace by a plate 45 and a suitable holding fixture such as a nut andbolt 46. The completed coil cases are typically metal for environmentalprotection, since the coil cases will likely be buried in the ground orin manholes, possibly in water. The coil cases therefore need to be airtight. In some cases, the completed coil case may be filled withpolyurethane or the like to protect the exposed wire wrappedconnections.

In H0. 14, a 11 X 6 inch coil case 50 is illustrated and it can be seenthat each level of coil tray assemblies includes two coil trayassemblies placed with the ends of two of the legs abutted together. Inthis case, the coil case 50 contains two rods 51 and 52, and fouralignment bars 53-56 for securing and aligning the coil tray assembliesin the coil case.

ln FIG. 15, a l l inch square coil case 60 is illustrated and, in thiscase, each layer of coil tray assemblies includes four of thempositioned to encircle a cable 61 to which the loading coils are to becoupled. Four rods 62-65 and eight alignment bars 6773 are provided forclamping and aligning the coil trays in the coil case.

In the case of both of the coil cases of FIGS. 14 and 15, the coil trayassemblies are loaded into the coil case and connections establishedwith the loading coils, in the manner described above.

Accordingly, from the above description, it can be seen that an improvedcoil tray is provided which is of a basic design which permits it to beused in any one of several different types of standard coil cases.Furthermore, the construction and arrangement is such that the loadingcoils can be easily and quickly assembled in the coil trays, and whenthe coil tray assemblies are loaded into a coil case, that connectionscan be easily and quickly made with the exposed terminal pins 18.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained andcertain changes may be made in the above construction. Accordingly, itis intended that all matter contained in the above description or shownin the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative andnot in a limiting sense.

Now that the invention has been described, what is claimed as new anddesired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l.- A coil tray assembly comprising, in combination: a coil tray moldedof plastic material and having a plurality of spaced and orientedsemi-circular shaped cavities therein for receiving loading coils and aplurality of holes adjacent each of said cavities for receivingtherethrough the terminal pins of a terminal block, a terminal blockhaving a base supporting a plurality of terminal pins such that saidterminal pins extended from each of the opposite sides thereof, aplurality of loading coils having the ends of the windings thereoncoupled with said terminal pins on one side of said base of saidterminal block, said loading coils being positioned within said cavitiesin said coil tray and said terminal pins being extended through saidplurality of holes adjacent said cavities so as to project from thebottom of said coil tray, and means hermetically sealing andpositionally fixing said loading coils and said terminal blocks in saidcoil tray.

2. The coil tray assembly of claim 1, wherein said coil tray isgenerally L-shaped and has side walls about its perimeter, said sidewalls'being proportioned such that said loading coils do not extendabove said side walls, thereby permitting said coil tray assemblies tobe stacked one atop another.

3. The coil tray assembly of claim 2, further including an openingthrough said coil tray for receiving therethrough a clamping rod in acoil case, for securing said coil tray assembly in a coil case.

4. The coil tray assembly of claim 3, further including a slot on theend of each of the legs forming said L- shaped coil tray for receivingtherethrough alignment bars in a coil case, for aligning said coil trayassembly in a coil case.

5. The coil tray assembly of claim 4, wherein said loading coils arevertically disposed within said cavities in said coil tray.

6. The coil tray assembly of claim 2, wherein connections areestablished with said loading coils by means of said terminal pinsprojecting through the bottom of said coil tray.

1. A coil tray assembly comprising, in combination: a coil tray moldedof plastic material and having a plurality of spaced and orientedsemi-circular shaped cavities therein for receiving loading coils and aplurality of holes adjacent each of said cavities for receivingtherethrough the terminal pins of a terminal block, a terminal blockhaving a base supporting a plurality of terminal pins such that saidterminal pins extended from each of the opposite sides thereof, aplurality of loading coils having the ends of the windings thereoncoupled with said terminal pins on one side of said base of saidterminal block, said loading coils being positioned within said cavitiesin said coil tray and said terminal pins being extended through saidplurality of holes adjacent said cavities so as to project from thebottom of said coil tray, and means hermetically sealing andpositionally fixing said loading coils and said terminal blocks in saidcoil tray.
 2. The coil tray assembly of claim 1, wherein said coil trayis generally L-shaped and has side walls about its perimeter, said sidewalls being proportioned such that said loading coils do not extendabove said side walls, thereby permitting said coil tray assemblies tobe stacked one atop another.
 3. The coil tray assembly of claim 2,further including an opening through said coil tray for receivingtherethrough a clamping rod in a coil case, for securing said coil trayassembly in a coil case.
 4. The coil tray assembly of claim 3, furtherincluding a slot on the end of each of the legs forming said L-shapedcoil tray for receiving therethrough alignment bars in a coil case, foraligning said coil tray assembly in a coil case.
 5. The coil trayassembly of claim 4, wherein said loading coils are vertically disposedwithin said cavities in said coil tray.
 6. The coil tray assembly ofclaim 2, wherein connections are established with said loading coils bymeans of said terminal pins projecting through the bottom of said coiltray.